Sunday, February 21, 2016

Upside-Down Pineapple Bundt Cake

I saw this ingenious idea for converting one of my favorite cakes from the usual Upside-Down Pineapple Cake to a Bundt version and had to make it for dessert after "Sunday" supper.  My Mom made this specialty cake in a cast-iron skillet and we all loved it, but I bet she'd like this method even better!

Of course, the one floating around on FaceBook is done with a cake mix and knowing all the preservatives that are packed in that box, I just couldn't help but pull out one of my yellow cake recipes I've done over the years.  It really is just as simple to make a true home-made version and although there's still a lot of debate over preservatives and the higher incidence of cancer, after losing our daughter, I try to stay natural.  It's my thing.

Pineapple Upside~Down Bundt Cake
1 can (20 oz.) Pineapple rings in juice
1 jar (10 oz) Maraschino Cherries
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt cake pan.  Pour melted butter in the bottom and sprinkle the brown sugar over it.  Slice the pineapple rings in half (I used all, but 2) and arrange in the bottom of the Bundt pan with a Maraschino Cherry between each slice.
Cake
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
4 large eggs
3 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
2 T cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.
In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter.  Slowly add the granulated sugar as the mixer is running on low.  Turn mixer to medium and beat until fluffy.  Add the vegetable oil and mix thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Add the vanilla extract, then the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift the dry ingredients together and add alternately with the milk--1/3 dry ingredients, 1/2 milk, 1/3 dry ingredients, the remaining milk, and finally the last of the dry ingredients.  Mix on medium just until completely blended--don't over mix.
Gently, spoon the batter into the Bundt pan on top of the pineapple and cherries.  Place in the preheated oven for 55 minutes.  After 30 minutes, turn oven down to 325 and continue baking until a cake tester comes out cleanly from the center.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a platter.

I can't wait to slice it up for dessert and surprise my hubby--he loves this cake too and we can remember going to Mom's for Sunday dinner waiting for this favorite.  Enjoy!

45 comments:

  1. Dear Susan:
    Now that sure turned out beautiful! I am sure the taste is wonderful too. I just baked a couple of loaf pan orange tea cakes today and am freezing quite a bit!

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  2. Looks amazing and I appreciate the from scratch method. I'm also a fan of turning down the temp for these bundts. It seems to work much better and prevents over-browning. Just lovely! I'll be right over...Lv, me

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    1. How do you flip the cake upside down without breaking it?

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    2. Make a mix of 1/4 cup shortening, 1/4 cup vegetable oil and 1/4 cup flour. Use this as your nonstick covering.

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  3. I will be baking another one and will use your recipe. We all loved this cake and I'm sure it will be even better with your recipe.

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  4. Susan, your cake is beautiful. Almost too pretty to cut! Baking from scratch is just as easy as a mix in my opinion! I always enjoy hearing your memories of your mother's baking. xoxo ♥

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  5. Oh Susan, what a totally gorgeous cake! And I agree with you that a homemade cake is so much better than the mixes. Hope your new week of life is awesome. Susan

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    1. Here's too the homemade cake!! Good job!

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  6. this is my kind of cake!!! Susan, thank you!
    stamping sue
    http://stampingsueinconnecticut.blogspot.com/

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  7. Great presentation!! I can't wait to make this beautiful cake!

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  8. Wow, it looks like cheerful baked sun ))). It would be great fun to bake it for my kids. Thank your for this sunny miracle.

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  9. I love pineapple upside down cake too. Yours looks really beautiful and delicious, Susan.

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  10. I just discovered your website a few weeks ago and I'm really enjoying your recipes and Mom memories too. This cake looks so delicious, refreshing and beautiful, I'm going to run to the grocery store for the cherries and make this for supper. Shelley

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  11. What is the corn starch for? Thanks

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  12. What is the corn starch for? Thanks

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  13. Do you use the pineapple juice?

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  14. Ya know... Men bake as well and I just put this in the oven. The whole house smells like a bakery. Really looking forward to tasting this cake. Thanks for the receipe.

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  15. I saw this way of making the pineapple upside down cake on another friend's blog and have been meaning to try it. I may do it in my mini Bundt pans so that I can freeze the uneaten ones. Wouldn't they be fun to pull out for dessert? Then again, the bigger version would be less work than cutting up small pieces of pineapple. I think I'd just talked myself out of the minis!

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  16. I had a cake for an order and was looking to change up the recipe I usually use. My client requested nuts. I used this recipe (with my own minor tweeks of course) and added pecans to the butter and brown sugar mixture on the bottom of the pan. I really wish I could post a pic here. I turned out soo beautiful. My customer was VERY satisfied.

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  17. I love pineapple upside down cake and actually have the pan my grandmother always baked it in. I am going to be trying this recipe. It's one of those times when I wonder why I never thought of it!!

    P.S. I like you make everything from scratch having had cancer myself. . . . so sorry for your loss.

    Thanks for the recipe!!

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  18. After searching for a good recipe for Pineapple Upside Dowm cake for a tube/Bundt pan - I settled on your recipe. I have never been more pleased with my decisions !! This is perfect !!! Soft and moist without that "graininess" found in so many other formulas !! I did use (too thickly sliced) fresh pineapple - and dark brown sugar - so while I may have erred there (topping too dark and pineapple still a bit hard as compared with the use of "macerated" pineapple in a can) But OMG !! This is Just the Best !! Less butter than Pound cakes - yet even more luscious !! I did have to bake a bit longer (perhaps the tube pan isn't as spread out as the bundt pan)- more like an hour and 15 minutes (also my oven isn't calibrated) but that is of small consequence - more disappointing is a dry grainy cake (which is why even though I love Alton Brown - I wouldn't do his corn meal recipe for PUDC in a skillet) I spied the addition of oil - and knew I've had good luck in the past with cakes made with this - and boy!! Was I right !! You do your Mama Proud !! I'm going to try to make this batter recipe as the basis for an Orange (poke) Cake - as I have a feeling it will be better than the ones' I've already tried... !! Thank You So Much !! Fabulous !!

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  19. Do you have to use the king Arthur flour

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  20. Love this recipe, I can’t wait to try it. Do you have to use King Arthur flour or I can use All Purpose Flour?

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  21. What is the cornstarch use for.

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  22. Can I use yogurt in place of the milk? Has anyone tried this?

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  23. This cake was absolutely delicious, my family enjoyed the Pineapple cake. Only difference I made was 1 cup of milk with the 3/4 cup juice of the pineapple 🍍 and since I did not have on hand vegetable oil I substitute it with Olive Oil. Thank you for sharing your recipe.

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  24. I baked this cake today. It turned out beautifully and tastes delicious.

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